Experimental observation of two microwave radiation mechanisms with widely separated frequencies during the output pulse of a high-voltage virtual cathode oscillator

Abstract

Results from two 4 MV, 100 kA coaxial magnetically insulated transmission line virtual cathode oscillator experiments are presented. In both experiments, two distinct microwave pulses with vastly different frequencies were generated during the beam current pulse. The first, lower frequency pulse was found to be produced by an electron reflexing process, while the second, higher frequency pulse was due to the virtual cathode oscillation mechanism.